Jack Hermansson thinks Paulo Costa will get the job done against Israel Adesanya.
Hermansson has positioned himself as a top-ranked UFC middleweight. He’s just a few spots below Jared Cannonier on the pecking order, as he was defeated by Cannonier via TKO in 2019. Costa is also expected to get the next crack at Adesanya’s title at UFC 253. Hermansson believes it’ll be Costa who captures the 185-pound gold.
Jack Hermansson Picks Paulo Costa To Dethrone Israel Adesanya
Speaking to reporters during the UFC on ESPN+ 30 post-fight press conference, Hermansson expressed his belief that Costa will take the UFC middleweight championship from Adesanya (h/t MMAJunkie).
“I believe Paulo Costa will be champion when I fight for the title,” Hermansson told reporters, including MMA Junkie, post-fight at UFC on ESPN+ 30. “He’s going to put some pressure on Adesanya. Paulo Costa’s pressure is just insane. He’s throwing so hard with everything he’s got. He can do it for almost all of the rounds. It’s just incredible the physique and the power that guy has. I think that’s going to be problematic for Adesanya. But you don’t know what’s going to happen in this sport. Adesanya is a great fighter, he’s a standup wizard and it’s going to be an interesting fight.”
Hermansson is coming off a first-round submission victory over Kelvin Gastelum. This is “The Joker’s” fifth win in his last six outings. He’s stopped four of his opponents in that span.
While Hermansson is likely a couple of wins away from a title shot, he could be a solid option if the UFC needs a replacement. Of course, there’s the winner of Robert Whittaker vs. Darren Till and Cannonier if he’s healthy but the UFC brass can take a breather knowing that the options in case of unforeseen circumstances aren’t limited.
Do you agree with Jack Hermansson’s prediction?
